Missouri Historical Records Advisory Board

Best Practices for Local Archives and Repositories

• Introduction
• Reference
• Creating Collections
• Deed of Gift
• Loan Agreements
• Volunteers

Reference

Cultural heritage institutions and repositories preserve and provide researchers access to collections and services. By providing reference assistance an institution fulfills its mission. Researchers may visit in-person, through a website, or send research requests via mail or e-mail. Depending on the size and complexity of an institution, there are numerous practices that may be adopted.

• Reference Room Rules
  There are a number of rules that are common to most reference operations; these are to protect the collection from damage and theft
  
  • No bags, briefcases, backpacks, or coats in the reference area
    
  • No pens allowed while using materials; and
    
  • No food, no drink, no smoking
  Other rules typically deal with operations—only staff will retrieve records from storage, only staff will make photo copies, etc.
  
  These rules should be reviewed and researchers acknowledge that they understand them before they are allowed to use the collections.
  
  
• Researcher Registration/Using the Collections
  It is common to ask researchers to register or sign-in when entering the building, or research area. This allows the institution to calculate how many researchers it serves during a given period. Registering researchers also provides a level of security, allowing institutions to know who is using collections. A couple of examples are:
  
  • Visitor Registers Typically, these will record the date, time in/time out of repository, name, address, and a general subject being researched
    
  • Registration Forms Capture much the same information as the Registers. In addition, they may contain specific information on what collection and what parts of the collection were examined
    
  
  
• Research Services
  Many institutions provide some research services, either for free or a fee. Policies should be adopted that outline the level(s) of service you will provide. Often a form is generated with the patron’s information and request, institutions must decide how many requests from an individual you are willing to entertain at a time. Often there is a limit of one request per patron until the first one is completed. This is a matter of fairness. One motivated researcher can easily monopolize the time of an entire staff.
  
  
• Copying Collections
  Repositories should also have in place a clear reproduction policy. This policy should first identify if the researcher can copy the materials or if staff must make the copies. Many items require special handling and staff must make copies for the researcher. Reproduction policies should also outline any copyright restrictions or other restrictions related to how the researcher may use the information.

Sample Forms and Policies

• A. T. Still University Collections Use Policy
• A. T. Still University E-mail Research Request
• A. T. Still University Written Research Request
  
• A. T. Still University Reproduction And Use Of Photographs
  
• Missouri State Archives Access Policy
• Missouri State Archives E-mail Research Policy
  
• Missouri State Archives Genealogy Request Form
• Missouri State Archives Visitor Register
• Missouri State University User Registration Form
• Missouri State Archives Researcher Agreement Form
• State Historical Society of Missouri Rules And Consent Form
• State Historical Society of Missouri Photocopy Request Form
• State Historical Society of Missouri Photograph Release Agreement